Returnable toy ball



Nov. 22, 1938. v A. J. DINKELQV 2,137,272

- RETURNABLE TOY BALL Filed Nov. 27, 1936 IN VEN TOR. WJD/NKEL 14 TTORNE vided on the external surface of the body in parallelism with and between the ribs 23, all for a purpose to be described in the operation of the invention, which is as follows:

When the body i is manually rolled on a surface so as to rotate in the direction of the arrow 26 and be guided in a straight path by the ribs 23, the weighted member 2| maintains its depending vertical position. The clutch formed by the pawl 24 and lugs 25 causes the disks IT to be held by the weighted member against rotation with the stretches of each of the cords l6 so as to shorten the lengths of the respective cords. The ends of the spring I3 will thus be drawn towards each other or flexed so as to load the spring in response to the rolling movement of the body on the surface.

when the rolling movement of the bodyin the direction of the arrow 26 ceases, the springs in tending to expand, will untwist the cords l6 and thereby reversely roll the body so that the ball will return to the location on the surface from which motion was manually imparted to the ball.

With the ball at rest, rolling of the ball on a surface in a direction reverse to that of the arrow 25 will render the clutch inactive, as the pawl 24 will merely click or slip by the lugs 25. The disks l'! will, therefore, not be held against rotation by the weighted member maintaining its position, with the result that the cords IE will remain untwisted and the body roll as a free ball.

From the foregoing description, it will be manifest that the invention provides a novel toy ball with which an efllcient return mechanism is associated in a manner to enable its use or non-use as desired, thereby increasing the play value of the ball, while permitting the latter to be tossed, bounced or otherwise handled, in play.

As shown in Figure 2, a suitable flexible rubber flap valve 21 is cemented to the internal surface of the wall of the body ID to control a port 28 therein. In orderto prevent excessive deformation of the body when bounced, it is desirable to place the body under slight pressure by inflation thereof through the port '28, the valve 21 automatically closing the 'port under the action of internal pressure upon the valve.

What is claimed is: i

1. A returnable toy ball comprising a rollable body having means for guiding it in a. straight path when rolledjon a surface; means co-acting withthe body to store energy in response to rotative movement of the body in one direction when the body is rolled on the surface, and operable to reversely roll the body by expending the energy when the rolling movement first imparted to the body ceases; and means by which the first means is rendered inactive to store energy in the body when reversely rotated in rolling the body on a surface, whereby to enable the body to be rolled as a free ball.

2. A returnable toy ball comprising a rollable body; means cc-actin'g with the body to reliably return the latter to a location from which rolling movement of the body on a'surface is initiated; and means co-acting with the first means to render the latter inactive when the body is reversely rotated in rolling it on a surface, whereby to enable the body to be rolled as a free ball.-

3. A returnable toyball comprising a rollable body; means coacting with the body to rollably return the latter to a-location from which rolling movement of the body on a surface is initiated; means co-acting with the first means to render the latter inactive when the body is reversely rotated in rolling it on a surface, whereby to enable the body to be rolled as a free ball; and means on the body for indicating the direction of rotation of the body necessary for the first means to be active in returning the body as aforestated.

4. A returnable toy ball comprising a rollable body; a weighted member mounted in the body to;constantly tend to maintain its position irrespective of rotational movement of the body about a predetermined axis; means in the body operatively associated with the latter and member to store energy in the body as the latter rotates about said axis during rolling of the body on a surface, and to expend the energy in reversely rolling the body when the rolling motion first imparted to the body ceases; and means by which the first means is rendered inactive to store energy when the body is reversely rotated about said axis, whereby to enable the body to be rolled as a free ball.

5..A returnable toy ball comprising a rollable body; a weighted member mountedin the body to constantly tend to maintain its position irrespective of rotational movement of the body about a predetermined axis; means in the body operatively associated with the latter and member to store energy in the body as the latter rotates about said axis during rolling of the body on a surface, and to expend the energy in reversely rolling the body when the rolling motion first imparted to the body ceases; and a unidirectional clutch operatively connecting said member and first means to render the latter inactive to store energy when the body is reversely rotated about said axis, whereby to enable the body to be rolled as a free ball.

6. A returnable toy ball comprising a rollable body; a weighted member mounted in the body to constantly tend to maintain its position irrespective of rotational movement of the body about a predetermined axis; a spring in the body; and an operative connection between said member and spring by which the latter is caused to be loaded as the body rotates about said axis during rolling of the body on a surface, for operation of the spring in reversely rolling the body when the rolling motion first imparted to the latter ceases.

7. 'A returnable toy ball comprising a rollable body; a weighted member mounted in the body to constantly tend to maintain its position irrespective of rotational movement of the body about a predetermined axis; a spring in the body; and cords operatively connecting said member and spring, and adapted to be twisted to load the spring as the body rotates about said axis during rolling of, the body on a surface, for operation of the spring in reversely rolling the body by untwisting the cords when the rolling motion first imparted to the body ceases.

8. A returnable toy ball comprising a hollow, rollable body; a bowed spring fixed between its ends in the body; a weighted member in the body; and means for suspending said member freely in order that the member will tend to maintain its position irrespective of rotation of the body about a predetermined axis; said means including spaced pairs of cords connected at one of their ends to the free ends of the spring, and at the other of their ends to the member so as to become twisted and fiex the spring in response to rotation of the body about said axis during rolling of the body on a surface, whereby to store energy in the spring, which is expended to untwist the cords and reversely roll the body when motion of the latter as first rolled, ceases.

9. A returnable toy ball comprising a hollow, rollable body; a bowed spring fixed between its ends in the body; a weighted member in the body; means for suspending said member freely in order that the member will tend to maintain its position irrespective of'rotation of the body about a predetermined axis; said means including spaced pairs of cords connected at one of their ends to the free ends of the spring, and at the other of their ends to the member so as to become twisted and flex the spring in response to rotation of the body about said axis during rolling of the body on the surface, whereby to store energy in the spring, which is expended to untwist the cords and reversely roll the body when motion of the latter as first rolled, ceases; and a unidirectional clutch interposed between said member and the cords to enable the body to be rolled as a free ball.

' ANDREW J. DINKEL. 

